How do you avoid catching colds during a training program.

Moycullen1

I started this post with the intention of replying to an earlier blogg on training with a cold but as this is such a persistent problem for me I'd like to get as much feed back as possible so I am starting a new thread specifically on Avoiding Illness.

I'm not sure if its just me but every time I am about three months in to a marathon program I seem to get a nasty head cold which I always have difficulty shifting. Some times it develops into a chest infection and some times I end up with the flu. When it happens you are presented with that horrible dilemma, do you stop training and get rid of it properly or do you try and do a little bit so as to avoid loosing form thereby running the risk of making things worse. I have been told by loads of people including my doctor that when you train five or six times a week your immune system is severely compromised so you pick up every kind of bug or cold you come in contact with.

What I would like to know is what you can do to avoid catching colds. What do the elite athletes do? Is there any truth to the idea that eating immediately after a run helps with this and if so what should one eat? I have tried using multivitamins and various supplements but have never really noticed any difference while taking them. Any advice would be greatly appreciated as I am in the thick of a program for Rotterdam in April and would hate a repeat of this recurring disaster. At least three times over the last couple of years I have been in a position to consider a PB attempt only to fall foul of illness within four or six weeks of an event so suffice it to say I am getting fed up with it. My pharmacist has actually started to joke that it may be psychosomatic!
I sincerely hope he is wrong!

menoscemo

Moycullen1 wrote: »

I have been told by loads of people including my doctor that when you train five or six times a week your immune system is severely compromised so you pick up every kind of bug or cold you come in contact with.

I had heard this too, however during last years marathon training it was the first time that I can remember not catching a cold during Summer/autumn. So I think it is a bit of an urban myth. I have a bit of a cold now but I basically didn't train all last month.

Anyway, I think the only thing you can do is make sure you get loads of vitamin C in your diet and generally eat healthily.

Iron Enthusiast

It might be that your not getting enough rest in between your run sessions or that you haven't got your diet right.

Up your intake of greens and fresh fruit as well as garlic, onion and Vit. C (can't hurt regardless)

Do you get enough Iron? (red meat/green vegetables etc..)

Yes you should be eating some carbs and protien within 30 minutes of finishing your training, to help your body refuel.

It's a hard habit to get into at first, but if you get to sleep an hour earlier each night it will make a big difference to how you recover and therefore reduce the likelyhood of you becoming run down? (again can't hurt regardless)

If a cold moves to your chest, then stop running straight away as it can be a slippery slope and just aint worth it!
Best of luck with the training!:)

shels4ever

I actually found that training kept me from getting ill, i've been sick a lot less the past couple of years, but a couple of weeks before the marathon i did get sick, somethign due to the tape I think. This year i'll make sure to sleep eat and take some suplements around that time.

limericklion

Firstly avoid anybody that has symptons of a cold or flu. This may be hard if someone in work or your spouse has the virus. If so keep a safe distance away and make sure to wash your hands regularly.

Secondly if you feel a cold coming on act fast. Buy plenty of lemons and oranges and consume them as if they where going out of fashion. Also if one is feeling a dry throat when they wake up take some lemsip maybe three during the day to stop it early.

If one feels a temperature coming on stop training and take some disprin etc and limit the damage from the time taken off.

If coming back from a cold never do a workout the day you resume training as this can lead to a relapse. This happened David McCartney during the cross country season (racing committments) and ruined his hopes of a top five finish at NCAAs. Run easy for two to three days and see how you feel return with something moderately simple and not stressful ie tempo, some fast upbeat fartleks, no racing as the immune system will break down again.

To avoid the general cold if flying or on a bus journey do not sit near somebody coughing as the germs will spread.

Do not shake hands during the flu season and if so wash as soon as you can ie after mass.

After a run is completed warm yourself quickly or more commonly after a workout do not get cold standing around put on jacket and tights on your warmdown after a session. All runs during this cold period should be completed with a cap, gloves and an underarmour perhaps not when completing a tempo as the body can overheat leading to the possibility of weaking the immune system and hense increasing the likelihood of catching a cold or flu.

Some common suggestions to keep a cold at bay

jcunniffe

Apart from trying to keep the immune system up to speed, I had this point from a hospital doctor on avoiding infection:

1) WASH YOUR HAND VERY REGULARLY

2) KEEP YOUR HANDS AWAY FROM YOUR FACE

The hands pick up everything that's going in your environment and hand contact with the moist openings of the face is an ideal way into the body.

So avoid rubbing your eyes, nose, chewing your nails and any other hand to face movements. One less thing for the immune system to have to fight.

This doctor claimed to be able to get through a winter on the wards without a break from training!

J

tunguska

Its been said already but diet is a big one. You gotta be eating fruit and veggies, it makes a huge difference. Junk food, booze and processed food all take a toll on your body.
I take Dr. Udos super 8s pro-biotics and theyre the business, so you could give them a shot. And also I drink "Cherry active" which is extremely high in anti-oxidants, amongst a load of other health benefits.

You can get it on:

www.totallynourish.com

ecoli

a tip i use to boost Vit C intake is put a slice or two of a lemon or orange into your bottles of water. Not only does it boost your immune but it gives water a good taste without making the drink heavy (i could never drink anything but water during training till this)

NeedsTraining

Think it is a bit of an urban bit myself.

Over the last few years I have not had a cold or flu or man-flu during my marathon training plans.
I got injured last April which prevented me from training and since then I have caught about 4 colds and a chest infection.

My advise would be to keep training, take Vit C regularly and maintain a healthy diet.

lecheile

Good piece on this subject in Peak Performance research newsletter during the summer 'Bug off! Can nutrition keep illness at bay?'. Key points are:

(1) Athletes are especially vulnerable to URTIs due to post-exercise immunosuppression - more or an issue for high volume or intensity sessions

(2) Diet plays a critical part in maintaining immune system. Diet should be as rich in nutrients as possible. Vitamin A,C Zinc and essential fatty acids.

(3) Post exercise nutrition is vital to make sure carb levels are topped up, low carbs lead to increased URTI risk.

(4) Good hand hygiene avoids transferring virus particles to mucous membranes of ENT.

Anyone interested in the detail or copy of full article send me a PM.

Milesandmiles

ecoli wrote: »

a tip i use to boost Vit C intake is put a slice or two of a lemon or orange into your bottles of water. Not only does it boost your immune but it gives water a good taste without making the drink heavy (i could never drink anything but water during training till this)

Would the acid in the lemon not wreck your stomach?

RealistSpy

Warm Up well
Take Multivitamins
Don't forget your omega 3,6 & 9 fish oils
Finally get a good sleep!

digme

tcp

Moycullen1

This is all very interesting stuff. One big problem I have is that I have three young children who bring all sorts of bugs into the house. I am particularly concerned about this business of post-exercise immunosuppression. I recall seeing an article some time ago outlining what foods should be taken after a session and within what maximum time frame this should be done. The problem is that I cant remember the food types, their respective purposes or the maximum time period within which they should be consumed. I would love to hear more on this. Also, does anyone know of a supplement or multivitamin which would contain the majority of the important vitamins, nutrients, omega oils, fatty acids, etc etc.

How Strange

What works for me is:
Lots of garlic in my diet or take garlic supplements
Codliver Oil
Vitamin C
A good balanced diet with lots of veg, good carbs, fish and definitely some red meat for iron. Junk food and alcohol in moderation/little at all in the last 2 months before the race.
Lots of sleep.

You can't avoid colds and flus so you have to make sure your immune system is strong enough to fight them off.

ecoli

Milesandmiles wrote: »

Would the acid in the lemon not wreck your stomach?

the water dilutes it so well that has no adverse affects. This is personal opinion however and may not work for everyone

PVincent

I am speaking from experience having been thro a ropey 18mths of no running . The fitter you are the more susceptible you can be if you dont keep the immune system topped up at all times .I was very fit and thought I had a good diet. Picked up a series of strep throats and because it was literally 10 years since I had taken an antibiotic , I had to take very strong ones to clear the infections ...Unfortunately I suffered another 3 strep throats in a few months so had to take more antibs ...so the throat got better but I was wiped and didnt know why and after months of tests, blood tests etc , a specialist in Blackrock clinic made it all very simple...I had wiped out my immune system with the anti bs and it was down to virtually nothing ...You have to realise the downside of taking them is that kill the good and bad bacteria ..someone posted that UDOs super 8 ...yes they are the biz and was one of the products that helped me get back on the trail to full health (along with other stuff like Udos oils , Solgar Mulitvitamins ,Zinc ...etc ) I was coming from a bad place ...
The best place to get your vitamins is in natural foods like fruit/veg /fish, certain red meats /pulses etc ...sometimes you need the extra help when you are training hard or run down a bit ...It is worth keeping a food diary for a week to really study what you eat and see if it is good or bad ...it is alos worth reading up on the benefits of the good diet and the difference it can make to your health ...you wouldnt put dirty or bad petrol in your car and expect it to function properly ...yes there has to be treats but if 90% is good stuff expect a good return from the body

the importance of eating after a hard or long session centres around repairing the muscles , and restoring glycogen levels etc ...again its not always easy to do it and you dont always feel like it but does play a role and whilst you mght not see a tangible difference , just try not doing it a couple of times and you might just notice it ...

good luck with getting better

Tootle

Hi,

I trained for Dublin and was waiting to get sick the whole 5 months, but didn't. I would swear by echinecia (?sp) and zinc, vit C and Vit D and Iron supplements (although I'm a veggie). The other thing for immediately after the long runs 1/3 of a litre of chocolate milk. Aparently it has the exact amount of protein to carbohydrates that you need and is easy to ingest. And drink loads of fluids!

SI NO

tunguska wrote: »

Its been said already but diet is a big one. You gotta be eating fruit and veggies, it makes a huge difference. Junk food, booze and processed food all take a toll on your body.
I take Dr. Udos super 8s pro-biotics and theyre the business, so you could give them a shot. And also I drink "Cherry active" which is extremely high in anti-oxidants, amongst a load of other health benefits.

You can get it on:

www.totallynourish.com

I find Cherry Active amazing for a wide range of reasons!

if you are in ireland best place to get it is
www.beautycare.ie or sportmassive.com

think they are they same website!

asimonov

SI NO wrote: »

I find Cherry Active amazing for a wide range of reasons!

if you are in ireland best place to get it is
www.beautycare.ie or sportmassive.com

think they are they same website!

wow, you are right. that looks amazing, incredible, almost unbelievable. :rolleyes:

SI NO

asimonov wrote: »

wow, you are right. that looks amazing, incredible, almost unbelievable. :rolleyes:

sarcasm to say the least!

you do know that Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit !


:P

asimonov

SI NO wrote: »

sarcasm to say the least!

you do know that Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit !

:P

Not for me its not. i can go much lower. Anyway, show me the science and i'm in.

SI NO

asimonov wrote: »

Not for me its not. i can go much lower. Anyway, show me the science and i'm in.

Pick what one you would like!

Healthy Uric Acid Levels
Healthy Joint Function
Healthy Muscles
Healthy Sleep Patterns
Healthy Heart
Healthy Brain
Healthy Immune System
Antioxidant Support
Faster Recovery
Reduced Muscle Soreness
Antioxidant Support
Restful Sleep

mloc123

SI NO wrote: »

sarcasm to say the least!

you do know that Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit !


:P

And shilling is the lowest form of posting

SI NO

mloc123 wrote: »

And shilling is the lowest form of posting

what is shilling?

DULLAHAN2

Tootle wrote: »

Hi,

The other thing for immediately after the long runs 1/3 of a litre of chocolate milk.

Really like drinking chocolate

MrCreosote

SI NO wrote: »

Pick what one you would like!

Healthy Uric Acid Levels
Healthy Joint Function
Healthy Muscles
Healthy Sleep Patterns
Healthy Heart
Healthy Brain
Healthy Immune System
Antioxidant Support
Faster Recovery
Reduced Muscle Soreness
Antioxidant Support
Restful Sleep

The science proving any or all of these would be very helpful...

SI NO

Uric Acid !
Cure of Gout and relieve from painful joint!


Cherries have been shown by various scientific studies, to help maintain uric acid levels at normal, healthy levels. However, many practitioners and consumers are only too familiar with the fact that sweet cherries (Prunus avium L.) are considerably less effective than the ruby-red, Montmorency tart cherry variety (Prunus cerasus L.). Montmorency cherries are considerably richer in anthocyanins (giving them their bright red hue), which are likely to be the key components within this variety of cherry that helps its effectiveness in maintaining uric acid at healthy levels.

Supporting Research:
1.Research study at the University of California demonstrating consumption of cherries lowers uric acid levels:

2.Research study at Michigan State University confirming the powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect of Anthocyanins in tart cherries:

3.Review from Robert Wood Johnson Medical School into how Dietary Factors affect Hyperuricaemia (raised uric acid) supporting cherry consumption in lowering urate levels:

4.Research study at Michigan State University suggesting tart cherry anthocyanins have a beneficial role in the treatment of inflammatory pain:

if you would like links to any please request!

SI NO

Sport Recovery!

Cherry Active is currently been taken by England for the six nations 2010¬

&

London Wasps Rugby
London Irish Rugby
Ross Pearson, The Ultimate Fighter (TUF9) Champion and UFC Fighter
Wendy Houvenaghel, World Track Champion & Olympic Silver Medallist
Ben Saunders, Solo Arctic Explorer and Ultra Endurance Athlete
Faith Pitman, Great British Judo Squad
Paul Hession, Olympic and Irish Champion Sprinter
David Gilick,Olympic and Irish Champion Sprinter
Nigel Mitchell, British Cycling Nutrition Adviser
Tommy Yule, GB Olympic Weightlifter
James Haskell, Stade Francaise
Sean McGowan, Solo Atlantic Rower
Tamsin Lewis, Triathlete - World Champion (30-34 AG)
Steve Cummings, Commonwealth Champion
Geraint Thomas, Olympic Champion


There are trails from the Academy of Sport in London,

TheRoadRunner

Don't have the links or medline indexes to hand but as far as I can recall vitamin c has no significant positive effects in aiding people avoid or recover from the common cold or 'flu. Probably won't do any harm topping up on vitamin c but maybe no need to suck on the lemons

TheRoadRunner

asimonov wrote: »

Not for me its not. i can go much lower. Anyway, show me the science and i'm in.

+1 peer reviewed science please. Never heard of this stuff and would like proof it's not more junk. A who's who list of users does not interest me graphs and stats showing mesurable increases in recovery/performance ate best IMO.

MrCreosote

SI NO wrote: »

Sport Recovery!

Cherry Active is currently been taken by England for the six nations 2010¬

Sorry but this means absolutely nothing about sports recovery. Elite athletes use it?? So what! Show me some evidence that it does anything!

And some links would be useful for the gout "cure". I notice none of the research you mention refers directly to your product.

asimonov

from its own website, not wanting to flog this horse too much....

Discover how CherryActive products may help to maintain naturally good health and well-being for you and your family:

• Healthy Uric Acid Levels
• Healthy Joint Function
• Healthy Muscles
• Healthy Sleep Patterns
• Healthy Heart
• Healthy Brain
• Healthy Immune System
• Antioxidant Support

Discover how CherryActive products may help improve your physical recovery from sports and training:

• Faster Recovery
• Reduced Muscle Soreness
• Antioxidant Support
• Restful Sleep

CherryActive Concentrate and Capsules are made from carefully grown and selected Montmorency cherries, using special techniques to harness their health-promoting nutrients. Leading research institutions are unlocking the health-promoting secrets of the powerful antioxidant nutrients found naturally in Montmorency cherries. A growing body of scientific evidence suggests that Montmorency cherry nutrients may help you maintain good health and wellbeing in a variety of ways.
Please browse our Natural Health & Wellbeing pages on the left to discover how you may benefit from the natural health benefits of CherryActive products.

its all a little vague...

Krusty_Clown

SI NO wrote: »

what is shilling?

Shill = a decoy who acts as an enthusiastic customer in order to stimulate the participation of others.

Perhaps you're of the other variety (just an enthusiastic customer), but we get a lot of people purporting to be happy customers on these forums, so there's a natural suspicion. You don't sell the product, right? Or Nourkrin for hair loss? Just a happy customer, right?